The Memory Is Fading
by VictorianJulissa
Summary: Old Deuteronomy is dead, and Munkustrap becomes the Tribe's leader. But some Cats rebel and follow Alonzo instead. With the Tribe divided, anything could happen. And anything will.
1. A Shaky Beginning

**CATS (c) T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and RUG**

**Chapter One: A Shaky Beginning**

The break had cleared his head, if only a bit, and he was now surer of himself. At least, more than he had been before. Munkustrap now stood in front of his home, contemplating on whether or not he was ready to face his family.

Before he could decide, Demeter rushed out and threw her arms around him.

"Munkustrap!" she exclaimed. "Thank Heaviside you're home."

"Is there a problem?" Munkustrap asked.

Demeter gave him a sideways glance, then sighed. "Something must be done about Tugger and Jemima," she whispered, leading him inside.

"What about them?"

"Jemima is crying nonstop, just sobbing and sobbing her heart out. I had no idea she'd take it quite this way."

"And Tugger?"

"He won't talk, won't eat, won't drink. He's just... unresponsive. Sitting in his room all day, staring at nothingness. He's worrying me, Munkustrap. He won't even talk to Bombi."

"Well, 'Bombi' is a-"

"Munkustrap!" Demeter hissed. "Now is really not the time. You've got an entire Tribe to repair. And I'm not even going to mention this dysfunctional family."

"Fine. Where's Jemima?"

"In her room." Demeter lowered her voice again. "And Munkustrap, even though it will do Jemima a lot of good to see you again, I really think it's Tugger you should concentrate on. I can barely console Jemima as it is, but Tugger is... unknown territory."

"Fine." Munkustrap nodded and made his way to Jemima's room. Any pain he'd lost had now been replaced by an overwhelming sense of responsibility. The Tribe was broken, indeed. He could only hope that there was time to repair it.

* * *

"Tugger?" Munkustrap peered cautiously into the Tugger's room, then walked in. The Tugger lay curled up in the darkest corner, his face hidden from view.

"Tugger," Munkustrap said again.

"Unless you've come here to apologize," said Tugger, "then go away."

"Apologize?"

"For running like a coward when Deuteronomy was killed. For leaving the Jellicles here with no leader to give them comfort. You abandoned us, Munkustrap." The Tugger turned to face him, his eyes lowered. "Demeter, I'm guessing, hasn't said much. She's got this crazy idea that you left because you 'had to', and that you're under 'a great deal of stress'." The Tugger chuckled bitterly. "Those are her exact words, too. While you were with Jemima just now, Demeter was still trying to convince me to forgive you."

"I was wrong to go, but I'm back now, Tugger." Munkustrap smiled encouragingly and placed a paw on the Tugger's shoulder.

"But will you stay?"

"This is my Tribe, and I'm the leader now. Of course I'll stay."

Tugger looked at his brother warily. He wanted to believe him so much. But how could he?


	2. The Meeting Begins

**CATS (c) TSE, ALW, RUG**

**Chapter Two: The Meeting Begins**

"_I have an assignment for you, Mungojerrie," said Macavity._

_Mungojerrie shivered. It was his own home, it was where he'd grown up, where he worked, where he spent almost as much time as he did in the streets, but Macavity's lair was still so cold._

"_It's a special assignment," Macavity went on. "One that I trust only you to do. Not Rumpelteazer."_

"_But we're a team!" protested Mungojerrie. "If it's so important, wouldn't two be better than one?"_

_Macavity chuckled. "In this case, no. I need someone who is quick, cunning, and close to the Tribe. But only one. And quite frankly, I trust you more than I trust your sister. Mungojerrie," he said, leaning closer, "how do you feel about murder?"_

Mungojerrie woke with a start. To his relief, he wasn't in Macavity's lair, but in the Junkyard. The sun was setting, and he could see the Jellicles trickling into the Junkyard, some alone, some with a mate or a friend. But all devastated.

He let out a shaky breath, remembering his dream. He'd had that same flashback for weeks now, starting the night after Old Deuteronomy's death. Mungojerrie angrily brushed away the tears that sprang to his eyes.

_And just in time, too,_ he thought darkly as he saw the Tugger sauntering towards him.

"Jerrie, have you seen Misto?" Tugger asked anxiously.

Mungojerrie nodded. "Little dark kit with sparkles, yes. I've seen 'im lotsa times, 'e's my half-brother actually."

Tugger scowled. "Jerrie, that's not funny. Have you seen him today?"

"Nuh-uh. Jus' woke up, yah see."

"Drat it. Munku's calling a little 'meeting', and it's my job to make sure every Jellicle is there. _Every_ Jellicle," he emphasized, looking at Mungojerrie skeptically.

"Yah do realize Munku only gave you that job so's yah'd be outta 'is way," Mungojerrie said.

"Munku's a fiend, alright, but a job is a job, lover boy. Now are you going to be there or not?"

Mungojerrie hesitated. If he didn't come, there was no one to keep Rumpelteazer and Tumblebrutus from squealing on him. "Sure, Tugs. Yah 'ave me honorable word."

Tugger smirked. "Honor's worth nothing these days. You'd better be telling the truth, because Munku requested you especially." Tugger gave Mungojerrie an odd look, and the old familiar wave of guilt swept over Mungojerrie again.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, tired of exchanging carefree banter. "Now go find yer sparkly little buddy 'fore he kills something with those confounded lightning bolts of 'is."

* * *

Every Jellicle was there. They were seated in a circle near the Tire, with Munkustrap at the head.

The silver tabby couldn't help feeling a bit antagonistic for pushing and yanking them all there when they were in the middle of mourning, but he felt he had no choice. Somebody had to take the first step to repair the Tribe, and it may as well be the leader.

He cleared his throat, but the Jellicles were so quiet anyway, it was a useless gesture. "I've called this meeting so we can take care of three things: investigating the death of Old Deuteronomy, electing a Tribe council, and making sure everyone is safe and comfortable." He looked around for a response. "We'll start in the middle of the list, because that will affect both the last and first issues. The Tribe leader is obviously me-"

"Does everyone agree to that?" Alonzo asked suddenly.

Munkustrap sighed. "Alonzo, I don't recall asking if there were any objections," he said calmly. "Besides, the leader-by-default system works well to your advantage, as you are now next-in-command." He turned to face the rest of the Jellicles. "There aren't any objections, are there?"


	3. Where's Uncle Skimble?

**I'm so sorry for the dreadfully late update! But here it is, and if anyone has stuck around, I'd love reviews. :)**

**CATS (c) TSE, ALW, RUG**

**"No Values" (c) Sir Paul McCartney**

**Chapter 3: Where's Uncle Skimble?**

"Yes, there are," said Tugger hesitantly.

Munkstrap gave him a cool glance. "Oh really? And just what makes me so unfit to be the Tribe's leader?"

"No values," Tugger said softly. "You – you have no values. No principles. Not anymore you don't. You used to, I thought, but even before Old D's death, you've been different."

"Oh? And just how would you say I've been different?"

Tugger swallowed.

Oh, I hear them telling me that you're selling off the furniture

Even my personalized autographs

You might as well go all athe way and sell your granny to the zoo

And while you're at it may I go to my psychiatrist

He's makin' money out of making me laugh

But I don't mind I wish that I could say the same about you

Oh

Well it seems to me that you're still got

No values

Oh you know you're not so hot

No values

Oh you know you've got a lot but

No values

And I'll be glad if you went away again

No values, hey

No values

No values at all

Oh the city shark is at the dark end of the alleyway

You pays your money and you takes your choice

The Artful Dodger says he wants to pick a pocket or two

But you, you've taken up a place in high society

A personal friend of Meissers Rolls and Royce

Got them all convinced that everything you say to them is true

Oh

Well it seems to me that you've still got

No values

Oh you know you're not so hot

No values

Well you've got a lot but

No values

And I'd be glad if you went away again

No values . . . no values . . . no values at all

I like your wife's smile

I like her car

If I had your lifestyle

I wouldn't go far wrong

On the waters of life you row your boat

Into the strongest tide that you can find

On the darkest of nights we were two of a kind

We went through it all before the tide went out

And left us stranded on the shore

How was I to know

How was I to know

Well you ain't got no values

You know you think you're hot

No values

You know you've got a lot, but

No values

And I'd be glad if you went away again

No values . . . no values . . . no values at all

Tugger stopped singing. "You don't know Munkustrap as well as I do," he said to the Jellicles. "He's a dang good actor when it comes to something he wants – like the position of the Tribe leader."

Demeter glanced at Tugger sharply.

Tumblebrutus cleared his throat. "Tragedies such as the death of a loved one will always skew the behavior of those it affects."

"I didn't say that his behavior was off. He's always switching moods,. What I did say was that he has no standards, and he never really has."

"Wait just a minute!" said Munkustrap. "Tumblebrutus! You, the Thieving Twins, and a certain Mystic would be safer keeping your mouths shut. And same to you, Tugger. 'No values'? I've led the Tribe for years. Old D was there as more of a patriarch. But who was it that guarded the Tribe, fought for the Tribe? Why would anything be different now?"

"Father is dead. That's what's different. There's no one around to make yearly checkups on the Tribe to see whether or not you've ruined us."

"You're saying that Old D babysat me, and that's why we've held together this long?"

"I'm saying that you're free to 'lead' the Tribe however you want."

"Unless Skimble comes back," blurted out Mistoffelees.

"I'm lost," Mungojerrie complained. "Someone please explain this."

"Dad doesn't want Munku to be the Tribe leader," said Etcetera. Jennyanydots shushed her.

Munkustrap smirked. "But where is Skimbleshanks? Out on the railways, leaving Jenny to raise two young queens all on her own. And he's been that way his entire life. Why would he change just so he could lead the Tribe?"

Mistoffelees bit his tongue. He'd said too much already. "Uncle Skimble doesn't want to the leader, he wants 'Lonzo to be the leader."

"Well, 'Uncle' Skimble isn't at this meeting, so that matter must not be very important to him."

Skimbleshanks doesn't know about the meeting," said Coricopat. "He doesn't even know that Deuteronomy is dead."

"The only Jellicle who can travel information to and from the railways is Tumblebrutus," said Tantomile. "But when we asked him to go, he refused."

Coricopat winced.

"Maybe I'm sick of being everyone's messegeboy," shot back Tumblebrutus.

"Or maybe yah have somethin' tah hide, and yah feel guilty even talkin' about the death," said Mungojerrie.

"If I was you, Jerrie," said Rumpelteazer, "I wouldn't be talking at all."

Pouncival sighed. "'Lonzo and Munku could just duke it out."

Jellylorum looked aphalled. "We're not savages," she scolded Pouncival.

"Sometimes you have to fight," Victoria said. "Sometimes it's necessary."

"Victoria is right," said Alonzo.

Munkustrap nodded. "We could just fight and be done with it. But how could the winner be sure that the Jellicles would accept him as their leader?"

"It all boils down to trust," Alonzo said. "And how could anyone trust a Cat who flees during a crises, let alone make that Cat their leader?"

"Why _did_ you run?" asked Plato.

The whispereing going around the Jellicles stopped. Munkustrap froze.

"No values," Tugger whispered.

Munkustrap whirled around, coming face to face with his brother. "You have no _idea_ the kind of heck I've been through lately."

"That doesn't excuse you for anything," said Alonzo. "A true leader doesn't desert his followers. And he doesn't threaten them, either."

"Well then, little Alonzo. Since you have so many big ideas about what a leader should and shouldn't be, maybe you should become one yourself."

Alonzo narrowed his eyes.

"Maybe you should take whichever Jellicles agree with you, and leave. The world is changing, Alonzo. I don't have time for your stupid thoughts about tradition. Maybe the old ways worked. But that was when Old D was here. And even then, we barely slid by. Old D's death proves that the old ways are out."

"He didn't simply _die_," contradicted Tantomile. "He was killed."

"That's beside the point."

"Or is it?" challenged Mungojerrie.

Munkustrap ignored him. "I already have a group of Jellicles working on finding the murderer. You can all rest easy. The question now is, what's to become of the Tribe? And _that's_ what we've been discussing this whole time. Don't let one incident sway your faith in me. I give you four nights to decide who you will follow: Alonzo, or myself. And if you don't choose a side, there will be punishments, and you shall be forced to choose a side anyway. Four nights," he said, and the meeting slowly broke up.


	4. Night Sounds

I'm so sorry for the late update! :(

**CATS © TSE, ALW, RUG**

**Chapter Four: Night Sounds**

* * *

It was a quiet night. London was still, and a lazy mist hung sleepily in the air.

It had been one night since Munkustrap had called the meeting. Alonzo replaced his usual swagger for a skittish gait. He had to get to the Junkyard, and quickly.

The regular night sounds of London's slums were softened. Alonzo couldn't help feeling ill at ease. He darted past the narrow alleyways, the black corners, the deserted shops - - all of which should have been so familiar. But they were instead a maze of haunted grounds.

He made it to the Junkyard with little time to spare, and went straight to a small, rarely occupied corner. As promised, they were waiting for him.

Alonzo looked up at the Jellicle Moon. _Everlasting Cat,_he prayed_, let them understand._

On the other side of the Junkyard, Munkustrap had cornered Mistoffelees alone.

"What do you want from me?" the tuxedo Cat whimpered.

Munkustrap stared down at him, his eyes showing only hate. "Old D must have had some Magic. The very second he was killed, something happened. The balance in the Tribe shifted, and I ran off to see what had happened, but..." His voice trailed off.

Mistoffelees gulped. "So you want me to help."

Munkustrap nodded.

"But I _have_ Magic. Isn't that enough?"

"It isn't. Mistoffelees, listen. Old D never said anything about the Magic, and I never asked, because of what had happened with your father. Macavity. But Old D had to have had Magic, and that's the main thing that held the Tribe together. But Old D is dead now, and I'm worried it's going to destroy the Tribe."

Mistoffelees scowled. "What are you trying to scare me into doing? You've never approved of the Magic anyway. And just how do you know all these things?"

Munkustrap sighed and averted his gaze. "It's an educated guess."

"Then how can I trust you? 'Lonzo says trust is the most important - - - "

"Alonzo is wrong!" Munkustrap met his gaze again. "Power is the most important thing. _Power_, Mistoffelees. And you'll have unbelievable power if you just figure out how the Magic connects to the Tribe."

"'Unbelievable' is right." Mistoffelees began to walk away, but Munkustrap grabbed him by the scruff and threw him to the ground.

"You will do as I say," Munkustrap said. "And you _will_ choose my side."

"You just want control of the Magic, and the way you plan on doing that is by gaining control of me. You're lying about the Tribe being tied to the Magic."

"Then why did I run? To make a petty scheme more believable? No. The Jellicles trusted me up until I ran. It would have been much easier to simply take my position as Leader, which is what I could and should have done. But then everything go messed up. Most of the Jellicles won't let me now, because I've acted like a coward. But once they find the Tribe is destroyed, and that you and I are the only ones who can fix it, then I'll take my place as Leader - - -"

"With 'Lonzo next-in-command?"

"Yes. And then you'll see that everything was for a reason."

"But that's not what Skimble wants."

"Shut up about Skimbleshanks!"

Mistoffelees gulped. _What have I gotten myself into?_, he thought wearily.

* * *

The kits were all sitting together, not interacting with each other. As if they were each in their own world. Their ears pricked up as Alonzo drew nearer, and they held their gaze on him unfailingly as he cautiously sat down.

They were all there. Pouncival, Jemima, Electra, Etcetera, and Victoria.

"You came alone," said Alonzo appreciatively.

Pouncival glared at him. "Just because everyone treats us like kittens doesn't mean we _are_ kits. We came alone because we wanted to, not because you told us to."

"You can't bribe us to be on your side, Alonzo," said Jemima.

"That's not was I was planning to do," Alonzo said. "It wouldn't work anyway because there will be no '_sides_'. Munkustrap only called this next meeting so he can trick everyone into thinking he trusts them. But really, somehow he'll get everyone on his side."

"But he was supposed to be Tribe Leader anyway," said Victoria.

"I know. But many of the Jellicles mistrust him now. Things are becoming more complicated. What I need you five to do is to not believe a word Munkustrap says. At the meeting, just follow my lead."

"I can't do what you're asking of us," Jemima said.

Etcetera groaned. "Alonzo, did you really have to ask _her_ to come?"

"Jemima," said Alonzo, "I asked you to come because I trust you. I need you to trust me."

"I did, and I still would. But you're asking me to betray my father!"

"Your father is a good, strong Jellicle. He's led us through many hard times, and he's always defended us. But he's changed now, Jemima."

"Are you accusing him of killing Old Deuteronomy?"

"No. I was with Munkustrap at the time of the death; we had business to take care of in the Junkyard. We were talking when Munkustrap suddenly ran to the entrance, where someone had brought Deuteronomy. Dead. I caught up with Munkustrap. He turned, looked at me, and ran. He didn't kill Old D. But something did change in him. And until I can figure out what, it's not safe to trust him." Seeing the kit's alarmed expressions, he added, "For all I know, he's only in shock. But it's better to be safe than it is to be sorry, right?"

The kittens whispered amongst themselves. After a moment, Jemima turned to Alonzo. "We trust you. And we'll follow you."


End file.
